Damon's POV
The crown felt heavier than I expected.
It hadn't even touched my head yet, but I could already feel the invisible weight settling on my shoulders—an inheritance carved in blood, burdened by duty, and tainted with loss.
My chest was hollow. A quiet storm brewed inside, and yet my face, my posture, remained unreadable. Just what was expected of a Lycan King.
The grand hall was bathed in golden light. Crystal chandeliers sparkled like stars, and rows of nobles lined either side of the aisle in ceremonial silence. My armor had been replaced by dark royal robes, trimmed with silver thread that shimmered like moonlight.
But Ara wasn’t here.
The thought struck me again, unrelenting. Ryan howled in pain.
The woman, the one chosen by the goddess herself, my soul mate, the one w
